Improvement in truss-bridges



Z Sheets Sheet 1. SPRAGUE.

A. PATTERSON & A.

Truss-Bridges.

Ralrent ed lan.13,1824;

Attbmeys.

the beam E connecting-the top chords.

JOHN A. PATTERSON AND ANDREW J. SPRAGUE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRUSS-BRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,400, dated January 13, 1874; application filed November 15, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN AUSTIN PAT- TERSON and ANDREW J. SPRAGUE, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Truss-Bridge,

of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to truss-bridges of the kind known as the Howe truss-bridge, and it consists of the modifications and improvements in the construction and arrangements of some of the more essential parts, which we will proceed to describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved bridge. Fig. 2 is partly a plan view and partly a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is partly a sectional view and partly an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a section of floorbeams, lower chord suspension-rods, and the angle-block for the support of the diagonal braces. Fig. 5 is a plan of the under side of the angle-block. Fig. 6 is a section of said block. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of .it. Fig. Sis a plan of an end section of floor-beams; also, the end plate and horizontal braces of the lower 'chord, showing the arrangement of the plate and braces. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the plate for the connection of the said braces of the lower chord. Fig. 10 is a plan of the bottom of the shoe for supporting the floor-beams. Fig. 11 is a section of a pair of floor-beams, and side elevation of the shoe and h suspending-rod. Fig, 12 is a side elevation of a rod for suspending the shoe 5 and Fig. 13 is aside elevation of the coupling-pin by which the links of the lower chord, the rods by which the lower chord is suspended from the upper one, and, the floor-beam shoe-rods are connected.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

We propose to omit the end posts and pierpanels commonly employed at the ends, mainly for making a finish thereat, and for our finish we apply the metal facades A, of any ornamental construction, attaching them to the upper ends of the first diagonal braces B,ftlil d 1s relieves the pedestal-blocks G of the aforesaid end posts, so that we need only construct them with special reference tothe foot-rests a for the braces B, the elevations b for the connection of the links D, and the ears f for the con nection of the horizontal rods g, which connect and brace the lower chord. The ngle-blocks F for the foot-rests ofthe braces B wemake in the form of strong angle-plates h, united together at t, at the proper angle for being at right angles to the braces which rest on them, with end plates j and middle plates 70 for strengthlower sides to rest on the floor-timbers Gr, said plates being slotted, as at Z, to straddle the coupling-pin m, which is suspended on the vertical suspending-rods n, which pass through slots 0 in the plates 11.. The plates 71. of the angle-block terminate at the lower edges sufficiently higher than the plane of the connecting-pin m to allow the links D of the lower chord to pass under them to the pin m, whereon they are suspended. The blocks F may have from slipping oif. We also suspend the floorrods H and the foot-plates I, the rods having an eye, J, in the upperend, through which the pins in pass, and pass through the foot-plates at the lower end, and receive a nut, by which to hold the plates. In practice, we will have the foot plates made long enough to have two suspending-bolts, one at'each end.

lower chord to the floor-beams, we employ the flat wrought-iron plates L with oblique holes the beams for the rods, as shown in Fig.8, and employ bevel-washers F to seatthe nuts on.

In making the angle-blocks, we propose to cast the under sides and the plates j and k on metal chills, to make them sufficiently smooth and complete to be put in place without having to be finished but to avoid chilling them 'so hard as to make them liable to break, we propose to arrange the chills so as to be re moved from the mold readily, as soon as the metal has hardened enough to retain its form. Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The pedestal-blocks G, constructed with ening-them, projecting downward from the a little flange, 2, Fig. 7, to hold the braces B.

timbers G from these coupling-pins m by short,

To connect the horizontal brace-rods g of the M, and make holes N through the corners of the bracel'est a, the elevation b for the c011nection of the chord-links, the ear f, and the baseplate 0, all substantially as specified.

2. The angleblock E, consisting of plates h, end plates 6, and middle plates k, the end and middle plates being slotted t0 straddle the connecting-pin, and the plates h slotted for the suspending-rods, substantially as specified.

3. The said angle-blocks, arranged to rest by the plates j and 70 on the floor-beams, and admit the ch0rd-links between plates h and the floor beams, to connect with the pin m, substantially as specified.

4, The chord-links D and floor-beam suspenders H, suspended from the rods n by the pin m, substantially as specified.

JOHN A. PATTERSON. ANDREW J. SPRAGUE.

WVitnesses:

BENJAMIN F. HUDsON, JAMES J Acons, 

